WORLD NEWS

Images of three revered Chinese deity statues went viral on social media after they were seen travelling in business class on a flight from China’s port city of Xiamen to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. But what is the story behind it? Who are the divine passengers? The first was the Chinese sea goddess Mazu (also known as Matsu), widely …

Some 49 African immigrants are feared to have drowned following the rescue of three men from a dinghy 28 nautical miles north of the Island of Alboran in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Morocco, Spanish coastguard said. The Spanish media reported that Maritime Rescue services on Tuesday saved a 17-year- old and two 25-year-olds from the rubber dinghy, which …

All Volvo car models launched after 2019 will be electric or hybrids, the Chinese-owned company said on Wednesday, making it the first major traditional automaker to set a date for phasing out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine. The Sweden-based company will continue to produce pure combustion-engine Volvos from models launched before that date, but its move signals …

The Emirates airline has said the cabin ban on laptops on its flights to the United States has been lifted “effective immediately”. In March, the US banned cabin laptops to and from eight mostly Muslim nations, fearing bombs may be concealed in them. An Emirates spokeswoman said it had worked with US authorities to meet the requirements of the new …

Public servants in Uganda are facing a strict dress code after the government issued a circular warning them to “dress decently”. Female staff have been told not to show any cleavage, wear brightly coloured nails, braids or hair extensions, sleeveless or transparent blouses. Men must wear long-sleeved shirts, jackets and ties, while trousers should not be tight-fitting. Staff failing to …

he BBC is to spend an extra £34m on children’s content over the next three years. The investment comes as plans were announced to reinvent the corporation “for a new generation” and combat competition from media giants like Netflix and Amazon. Director general Tony Hall said it was “the biggest investment in children’s services in a generation”. The funding was …

A look back at one of entertainment’s most famous couples on their 18th anniversary – complete with dodgy haircuts. David and Victoria Beckham celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary on Tuesday. The couple first met at a charity football match in 1997 and announced their engagement in July 1998. Victoria was still in the Spice Girls when they started dating and …

US-backed Syrian forces have breached the wall at Raqqa’s Old City as they try to retake the city from so-called Islamic State, the US military says. It says the coalition helped the advance of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by firing on two sections of the historic Rafiqah Wall. The SDF, supported by US-led coalition air strikes, has spent months …

Brazilian police have arrested a close ally of President Michel Temer as part of a corruption investigation into a government-controlled bank. Geddel Vieira Lima, a former cabinet minister, had been in charge of Mr Temer’s relations with Congress. Prosecutors say Mr Vieira Lima tried to block investigations into state bank Caiza Economica Federal. There was no immediate comment from Mr …

Zimbabwe has auctioned cattle worth $1m (£770,000) to raise money for the African Union (AU) Foundation to help end the “donor dependency syndrome”, President Robert Mugabe has said. He added that he had donated 300 cattle from his herd, and other Zimbabweans doubled the number as they wanted to contribute towards a “noble cause”. Mr Mugabe handed the $1m cheque …